House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s plan to cut the deficit by $4.4 trillion in the next decade is a “bold” plan and Republicans need to stand firm and not worry about political consequences, former Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner told Newsmax.TV.

“It’s a bold proposal and it does what needs to be done in terms of tackling short term spending and addressing long term entitlement reforms,” he said at the South Florida Tea party Tax Day event Saturday in Boca Raton, Fla.

“Republicans need to stand firm though on those principles and need to stand firm on this budget and not worry so much about the political risks and the fact we’re going to be called names. We need to be focused on what are the consequences to our country if we fail to act. That’s really what we’re dealing with right now because we’re running short on time before we drive America’s economy off the cliff.”

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Hasner, who is considering a run for the U.S. Senate, said the tea party movement is “growing” but reinforcements are needed in Washington in 2012.

“I was somebody who was saying that Republicans don’t need to be less partisan, we need to be more principled,” he said. “That’s what we need in 2012 are leaders who have the courage to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done.”

Ryan, R-Wis., has called for changes in Medicare and Medicaid and other government entitlement programs that have traditionally untouchable in Washington.

Under his proposal, Medicare would be transformed into a voucher program where the federal government would contribute money that people could use to buy private health insurance. The Medicaid program would be turned into a block grant program where money would be given to the states.

Seniors in Florida recognize that changes in the Medicare and Medicaid programs are necessary to save them, Hasner said. He added that it was important to let seniors know that any changes made to the programs will not affect those currently receiving benefits but will apply to future recipients.